Foot exerciser



J. M. Hiss FOOT EXERCISER June 19, 1934.

2 sheets-sheet 'r 1 Filed June 22, 1933 7 "if ,f

n-HIHIHI ATTRNEYS June19, 1934. J MHlss 1,963,903

, FOOT EXERC ISER Filed June 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented `lune v1f), 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 1,963,903v Foo'r EXERCISER, John Martin Hiss, Los Angeles, Calif. Application .lune 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,089 6 claims.` (o1. v12s- 25) This invention relates to-an apparatus for foot exercising and massaging and is particularly applicable for furnishing a series of foot movements and exercises beneficial for foot troubles.

5 Practically all of the distressing symptoms of foot troubles are due to three abnormal conditions as tension in the joints, strain on muscles and limitation of foot movements. These conditions can be eliminated by specifically exercising certain vjoints and certain muscles and the severity of the exercise or movements gradually increased to gradually build up the muscles of the feet and legs.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to l5 provide an exercising or foot massaging apparatus for performing foot movements beneficial in building the arches, overcoming and relieving tension in joints and strain in the muscles and limited foot action to increase the activity of the feet, and by' so doing remove the cause of nearly all foot symptoms. The apparatus provides a swinging or rocking pedal mounted upon `and along one side of a Aplatform enabling the pedal to be rocked by one foot, with the other foot resting upon the platform, or teetering the pedal with the heels of both feet, and the fore part of the `feet upon the platform. The pedal connects with a series o1-,group of massaging bars or swinging hammers, arranged side by sidein the form of an arch or convexity rising centrally above the plane of the platform as a Vibratory tread forS the arch or instep of the foot, and using the energy expended in exercising one footto massage or cause vibrations or motions to they other foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot exercising or massaging device for exercising one foot by pedalling or treadling action rocking a pedal connected with and actuating a group of bars in vibratory or percussive motions for massaging the instep ofthe other foot, thus stretching the muscles-of the foot and leg of one foot while massaging the other foot, and the process for the two feet reversed by turning around to alternate the positions of the feet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot exercising and massaging device having a pedal for exercising the foot operable under varying tensions and resistance regulatable for increasing or decreasing the power required for its operation, the pedal operating means for massaging/the instep ofthe other foot, the massaging means conveniently adjustable to -the heights of various arches, or for varying the degree of vibratory or percussive motions to decrease or increase the severity of the massaging action. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot exercising device inthe form of a platform for supporting a foot having a group of massaging bars or hammers, and grouped in arch form above the plane of the platform, the bars operable sequentially and with the rocking motion of the pedal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot exercising device including means for use in exercising the metatarsal joints of the feet.

Various other features and advantages of the invention vwill be' more fully set forth in the ldescription of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foot exercising apparatus.

-Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical section of the apparatus taken on line 2 2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-.3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Figure 2.4

Figures 5, 6 and? are perspective views of the apparatus, illustrating several of the various exercises while being performed in use of the device. In Figure 5 the heels of both feet are positioned upon the pedal with the fore part of the feet upon the platform; in Figure 6 one foot is upon the pedal and the other upon the platform; and in Figure 7 both feet are on the platform with the fore part ofthe feet or toes engaged over extensions projecting ,from one side of the platform.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a casing providing a platform having an off-set extension2 at one side, upon which arocking pe'dal or treadle 3 is supported. The pedal at its lower Side has` a pair of spaced arcked segments 4, 4, centrally longitudinally ,of the pedal. The edge of each segment is toothed or serrated, each for meshing with a, toothed edge of a rack as a rack 5 formed on the' upper edge of the side wall 6 of the casing extension 2, anda rack bar 7 formed integral with the casing extending from the opposite end walls.

A central transverse rib 8 extends from the under side of the pedal between the arcked segments 4 to which one end of a pair of springs 9, 9, are anchored. The opposite ends of the springs are connected with a lever bar l0. The lever bar 10 extends transversely through thecasing extension 2 with the inner end thereof engaged through a slot 11 in the side wall 12 of the platform casing 1. The opposite end of the lever bar 10 extends through an opening 13 in the side wall 6. One edge of the opening is provided with ratchet teeth 14 for adjustably. latchin'g the lever bar 10 to vary -or regulate the tension of the springs for increasing or decreasing the rocking resistance of the pedal.

The upper side of the pedal, centrally and at the inner edge has a knob 'or convexity 15 to re'- ceive and support the arch of the lhuman foot when bearing upon the pedal. The surface of the knob or convexity is transversely grooved`or roughened to secure a more firm foothold upon the pedal for rocking the same. The lower surface at the inner edge of the pedal adjacent the inner segment or rocker 4 longitudinally and centrally of the pedal is convex to provide a cam 16 integral with the pedal. The cam engages a plurality or group of levers 17 arranged side by side and pivoted upon a cross rod 18 supported by a swinging cradle 19 within the platform casing 1.

The cradle is pivoted upon a cross rod 20 supported by a pair of bracket lugs 21 extending from their lower side of the top or` platform of the casing and integral therewith. The cradle is provided with a cross bar22 dependingly extending therefrom and engaged by an adjusting screw 23 extending through and screw-threaded to the front side wall of the casing 1, the screw connecting with the cross barA 22 by a nut 24 threaded upon the end of the screw, the connection allowing sufficient play for swinging the cradle with the adjustments of the screw.`

A plurality or group of bars or hammers 25 are arranged side by side and of a number corresponding to the numbers of levers 17 respectively engaging therewith, pivoted at one end upon the cross rod 20 and between the ears 26 of the cradle. Upon rocking the pedal 3, the levers 17 will be sequentially actuated as engaged by the cam 16 coordinately swinging and elevating the massaging bars 25. The degree of swinging action or arc can be varied by swinging the cradle 19, changing rthe elevation of the fulcrum 18 for the levers 17 with relation to the cam 16 of the pedal, varying the arc of oscillation of the levers upon rocking the pedal and correspondingly the degree of arc of the massaging bars 25 above the plane of the platform. A

In the use of the apparatus, the user in standing posture supports one foot upon the platform with the arch oreither arch and ball of foot, or arch and heel over the massaging bars, and the other foot upon the pedal as illustrated in Figure 6. Upon rocking the pedal, the massaging bars will lbe oscillated, the energy expended in exercising one foot massaging or causing vibration and motions to the other foot. The muscles ofthe working foot 4and, leg will be exercised and stretched and the energy thus expended through the pedal connections of the massaging bars massages, vibrates and elevates the arch of the The effect is reversed on each foot by turning around alternating the positions of the feet and repeating the process. lBefore starting the pedallingfaction, it is preferable toadjust therscrew 23 to bring the massage bars 25 to the height of the arch of the foot resting thereon and inthe operation, the screw 23 is adjusted'to gradually increase the height of the swing of the massage bars as the treatment progresses. Likewise the force of the pedal stroke should be gentle at the start of. each treatmentD and gradually increased `upon which the hammers rest when the free ends by adjusting the tension of the springs 9, 9, through the appropriate setting of the lever 10.

. The higher the massaging bars are elevated above the plane of the platform, the more violenti the massaging action. With tender and congested feet, it is advisable to start the treatment low, which also Aapplies to the spring resistance of the pedal and gradually increasing each as the muscles become stronger. This gradually increases the power ofthe foot and leg muscles.

The massaging bars or hammers, preferably for a starting exercise, are adjusted to the height of the arch of the foot. This generally brings the upper edge of each massaging bar or hammer to a definite elevation above the plane of the platform and the convexity or arc formed by` the group to a degree corresponding to the curvature of the cam 16 against which the levers 17 bear and the relative extended length of the opposite ends of the levers 17 against theunderside of the hammers.

The lowest limit of bar or hammer adjustment is governed by thecross bar 26 of the cradle 19 of the levers in the adjustment of the cradle become ineffective in controlling the downward swing of the hammer. For instance, the cradle can be adjusted so as to allow all of the hammers to rest upon the cross bar 26 'of the cradlebringing the forward ends of thelevers 17 in a substantially horizontal line at which the rocking swing of the pedal would not bring the cam into contact with the levers. The hammers, however, in such adjusted position would as a group form a convexity slightly above the plane of the platform ydue to slight variations in the relative sizes of the hammers.`

Adjusting the cradle conversely, that is, swing ing the cradle upwardly elevating the fulcrum 18 the levers 17 all contact with the cam 16 and due to the curvature of the cam 16 positions the hammers at a relative elevation maintaining the arch formation. The cam upon being rocked depresses 12'() the levers, first on one side'of a central line or axis about which the pedal swings allowing the levers on the oppositeside to elevate for a depression .of the corresponding hammers and for some adjustments in which the levers tend normally to contact with the cam. 'Ihe levers are sequentially actuated under the rolling motion of the cam. A 1

The platform of one side, preferably that opposite the pedal, is provided with a pair of extensions 27-2'7 -in plane with the top of the platform and of curved edge outline. The platform inside of each extension is provided with a slight raised portion or mound 28 serving as a metatarsal button. The' extensions are engaged by the fore part or ball of the foot as illustrated in Figure 7, with the toes extending over the edges of the extension and by bending the toes downwardly (attempting to grasp the edges of the ex- 4U tensions) and repeating such performance a prescribed number of times, the toe function and metatarsal joint action are restored.

'I'he device provides for effective methods` of self treatment for foot troubles recognizing that 145 it is advisable to follow a systematic course as to the number of times for each exercise depending upon the condition of the feet when starting the treatment'and gradually increasing the period of exercising and vigorosity. v v15 'the pedal to the rails and providing a resistance for the rocking motion of the pedal.

2. A foot exercising device, comprising, a platform, a pedal supported by the platform along one side of the top of the platform, said pedal having rockers on its lower side treading upon rails of the platform, and tensionv means connecting with the pedal centrally thereof for holding the pedal to the rails and providing a resistance for the rocking motion of the pedal, said pedal centrally on its upper side and toward one side longitudinally having an arched elevation to receive the instep of the foot.

3. A foot exercising device, comprising', a plattending along one side thereof, a group of adjacently disposed massaging bars supported by the platform and engaged through an opening thereof to extend above its plane, operatively connecting with said pedal for using the energy expended for operating the treadle exercising one foot to actuate the massaging bars for -massaging the other foot.

5. A foot exercising device, comprising, a platform, a pedal supported by the platform and extending along one side thereof, a group of ad-- jacently disposed massaging bars supported by the platform and engaged through an opening thereof to extend above its plane, the group in arch formation relative to the plane of the platform and operatively connecting with said pedal for using the energy expended for operating the treadle exercising one foot to actuate the massaging bars for massaging the other foot upon the platform.

6. A foot exercising device, comprising, a platform, a cradle hingedly mounted within the platform, a group of adjacently disposed bars hingedly supported on saidcradle to move transversely to the plane of the platform and engaged through an opening thereof to protrude above the plane of the platform and in arch formation relative to the plane of the platform, means actuating said bars, and means for adjusting the cradle to change the degrees of arch elevation of said group of bars relative to the plane of the platform, and for varying the degree of vibratory stroke of the-bars.

JQHN MARTIN HISS. 

